House Bill No. [insert number] proposes to enact R.S. 33:2481.8, which establishes new evaluation procedures for the police chief of Baton Rouge. According to the bill, the police chief will undergo an evaluation three years after their initial appointment by the mayor-president of East Baton Rouge Parish, followed by annual evaluations thereafter. The mayor-president has the authority to either reconfirm the police chief for an additional year or demote them to their previous position, with the stipulation that such a demotion will not be considered corrective or disciplinary action, and the police chief will not have appeal rights regarding this decision.

The bill retains existing provisions of the fire and police civil service system applicable to municipalities with populations over 13,000 and those with populations between 7,000 and 13,000. It also maintains the structure of the municipal fire and police civil service board, which is responsible for establishing employment lists for various positions within the classified service. The proposed law aims to enhance the accountability of the police chief while ensuring that the evaluation process is clearly defined and structured.